Wednesday, September 14, 2016

“We commend Governor Jerry Brown for signing Senate Bill 859. The Governor
understands the importance of the biomass industry as it pertains to the state’s
renewable energy portfolio standard and the eradication of dead and dying trees from
high hazard fire zones.

“This law will provide some certainty to the biomass industry which has struggled due
to antiquated contracts. Under SB 859, investor-owned utilities and large public-owned
utilities must enter into five-year contracts for a portion of at least 125 megawatts of
power from biomass facilities that generate electricity through the use of forest
materials removed from specific high fire hazard zones.